For this week’s discussion, as we are gearing up to learn more about criminology, I want you to think about this controversial question. Are you familiar with the case of students killed in Idaho last November? Do you know that the alleged killer was a Ph.D. student in the Criminology program? Read these articles and discuss what you think about this issue: When a Criminology Student Turns Criminal and Was the Idaho Murder Suspect Studying Criminology to Learn How to Commit a Crime?
Comment below. Please post your original comment and replies to at least two classmates. Deadline: 09/10/2023.
I am familiar with the case of students killed in Idaho last November. One of the University of Idaho students was fatally stabbed in a Moscow, Idaho, off-campus apartment. Bryan Christopher Kohberger was taken into custody in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, on December 30 on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary. Bryan to me gave me Ted Bundy vibes as his eyes were the same as him. I knew the alleged killer was a Ph.D. student in the Criminology program and I thought he enrolled to do that so he could cover up he wanted to kill someone. He used all the knowledge in Criminology to use it against him so he could kill others by getting away with it.
Alyssa, I like the conclusions you make, and the way you determine that Bryan Kohberger used his knowledge about criminology to obtain things that he personally wanted. But at the same time, my opinion is that all the things he did and that he figured out cannot be learned in just one semester of classes, or even in two years. Criminology is a very big bag of elements that are difficult to understand, so I think we should focus more on Bryan Kohberger’s past, what kind of child he was, and how the country’s education helped him so that now after a certain age he had wishes to murder people in a school, also in the education that his parents gave him, if his parents were responsible parents who cared for their son as a child or were absent parents and how the government handled this case. We should also focus a lot on the future because all this has already happened, all this has already been done, and now we have to worry more about how to handle the situations that we have in our hands as students, parents, or even the government so as not to regret more cases in the future.
Hey Alyssa, I disagree with you on your conclusion in the New York Times Bryanna Fox stated “If he did commit these crimes, ostensibly helped by his criminological research, why were such basic mistakes made, such as, according to a police affidavit, leaving behind clues including a knife sheath with his DNA at the crime scene and cellphone tower records?”. This gives you another reason to believe that he was not influenced by his studies and research. She also stated that criminology doesn’t primarily teach you how to commit a crime but rather prevent it.
Responding to the questions, I think that the word “familiar” has many concepts, in my case, I am not familiar with what happened but I am familiar with the feelings because each situation was badly handled or with a bad result, which in this case were the deaths of the students, it brings a consequence which is difficult to understand and manipulate in such a case. I say that because I think that part of the students who study criminology will not feel safe anymore in their classes since they do not know or know about the bad habits of their classmates and it is difficult to trust or live around people you do not know. In this case, according to what I read, Bryan Kohberger was an ordinary criminology student who was going to his second semester. So my question in this case would be, in whose hands is the justice of our country held? What are the future police officers, lawyers, or detectives? I don’t think all students have in mind to provoke something like that because even me, I’m a criminology student and I know how important this class is for me, but what about students like Bryan Kohberger? How can we make the class stronger and more united? When a class is strong and united, it brings a good future for humanity, because what we do today is the representation of tomorrow. Sorry for writing a lot about this case but I want you to know that I am open to any type of feedback or answer any questions. I will be happy to give my opinion on another question.
I don’t believe studying criminology leads to committing a crime, in fact, I believe the opposite. However, there are those who study criminology to become an ally of the system, then there are those who collect intel for personal criminal acts. But to say criminology courses lead you into a life of crime is absurd. In the case of the Ph.D. student, I believe he already showed signs of psychopathy. In the news report, the neighbor explained she rarely had interpersonal contact with him and recently learned his name after living with him for some time. She also stated that he was a “night person” because that’s when she heard the most movement and sounds of vacuuming. The professor at his college had to tell him to “be nice” in accordance with the students finding him to be “standoffish”. It is to be noted that these are signs of antisocial behavior, which is associated with psychopathy, after doing some research. This could easily be a case in which the killer is experiencing a desire to kill, or possible fascination with historic serial killers. My judgment is he was predetermined to act out on these crimes, after doing enough research to plan things out. I also understand he was a highly intelligent student, as most serial killers tend to be, but their lack of social presence may lead people to believe differently.
In retrospect, the article mentioned “Studying criminology is no more likely to lead to crime than studying accounting is to lead to accounting fraud,” I believe that’s a good argument that needs more research. Though each case is subjective, the criminal mind behind the motives will reveal a repeating offender. Similar to the nature versus nurture argument, a psychopath and a kleptomaniac, are considered a higher risk to public engagement, because their mental illness is in control.
I can see your point of view that studying Criminology has nothing to do with committing crimes because it is up to the individual. Anyone can commit murder no matter what they are doing in their life! Great response.
Hey Courtney, your statement really stood out to me saying ” However, there are those who study criminology to become an ally of the system.” I do agree with that statement because those who are studying criminology do get a deeper look into how the system works and how criminals act which leads to being an ally of the system.
Hello Courtney,
I like the connections you made in your post. Your research on his behaviors has shown he might have had ill intentions during his undergraduate or even before that. This is a case that could break barriers in Criminology. I am interested to see what transpires and if there is a correlation between his studies and the crimes he committed.
Dear Courtney , I agree with what you are saying, I believe he already showed signs of being a psychopath and that his major never really had anything to do with what he did
I was not familiar with this case but this really pierces the soul. It’s sad that this controversial question is even being asked. We are talking about the vary classes and lessons us students are taught to form and create our future police, correctional officers, CSI and more. We are questioning if these very lessons can cause the creation of a psychotic murder. We now question our whole system and if we were failed. I don’t think the study of criminology leads to committing a crime. I think the individual already has the intent to do it and the mind has already been made. Blaming his field of study and his crime seems like the easy thing to do instead of really seeing how he was mentally. Like the article mentioned “t’s tempting to draw a connection between Kohberger’s academic pursuits and the crime he’s accused of committing, but experts say that neither the evidence in the case nor the nature of criminology scholarship supports that link.“Studying criminology is not going to make you a criminal, and it’s not going to make you a better criminal,” said James Alan Fox. We should be asking about his upbringing. Did he show signs of violent crimes before not if his major is the reason for it.
Dear Elijah, I agree that this is a very sad controversial case because we are taking classes and lessons that deal with Criminal Justice. This shows not to trust anyone and the system is confusing. I agree that it was his fault to do it as he had it in his mind in the first place. Your response makes me think that he planned to study Criminology to hide the fact that he is a killer. I love how you supported your answer with evidence!
Dear Elijah , I definitely agree with your statement , I believe if we look more into him growing up rather than looking at what major he is, we can definitely see the erotic behavior he may have displayed in the past.
Hi Elijah, I agree with you on how a person already had the intent to commit this type of crime it had nothing to do with studying criminology instead I believe his childhood could have played apart. I believe he used this subject to gain more insight on how to become a better criminal
“Study criminology is no more likely to lead to crime than studying accounting is to lead to accounting fraud” – Richard Rosenfeld
I am unfamiliar with this case, but this quote stood out when starting prob into the crimes. Criminology focuses on prevention and policy-based solutions to crime. Criminologists study the factor that leads to corruption and do not focus on serial killers and heinous acts with advanced technologies like those depicted on television. No empirical evidence supports that collegiate studies lead to a student committing a crime; in the article regarding Bryan Kohberger, the affidavit shows that vital evidence was found quickly. Compared to similar crime scenarios, Kohberger was unsystematic in his approach. Reports show he left the murder weapon behind and was also recorded circling the victims’ neighborhood. Professors are not creating lessons for students to experiment with criminal life. Kohberger’s studies did not lead to his murder, and criminology is practiced to prevent associations in this case and future cases.
I honestly believe that before he decided to sturdy criminology , those evil thoughts were already installed within he just didn’t act on them until the murders. But I definitely agree with the quote. I was very interested in reading the article as well.
KHALID: I honestly believe that before he decided to sturdy criminology , those evil thoughts were already installed within he just didn’t act on them until the murders. But I definitely agree with the quote. I was very interested in reading the article as well.
Hello Khalid Jemmott, that statement also stood out to me. I also believe that criminology is a crime prevention course and not a how-to. It’s not making sense how many believe his actions correlate to his academic research. But everyone has an opinion and maybe we are wrong or maybe there isn’t an actual right or wrong. we are human and we are easily influenced but the evidence and demeanor in the camera showed differently, If his research impacted him then you would believe that he had learned something and used it but he didn’t.
Hello Khalid, I liked your statement but I would like to add something. Just as easily you can say that his studying the subject didn’t lead to the murders because he was careless, one can also say it did. Maybe when he was learning about other murder cases, it gave him a weird high. For example, when I look at videos of cars and racing, I get a high. That doesn’t mean I’m going to go street racing and disobey the laws of the road but there are other individuals who will. It all depends on the individual.
I am familiar with the university of Idaho killings by student Bryan K. Bryan was a student in the PHD student in the criminology department. In my opinion he seemed very angry! He seemed mentally unstable just by his eyes and the way he looked you could tell that he had deeper issues. I believe that it was all a scheme , premeditated thoughts! This wasn’t something that randomly arose within him. This was anger already installed that he was just waiting to release. He was just so okay with doing that and installed in his head this idea that he would get away with what he did.
With that being said I agree, some students do not study criminology for the right reasons. Some students are mentally already criminals before they invest in a criminology degree.
Hello Tatianna, I agree with your statement that Bryan seemed mentally unwell. As I had written in my response I also believe that it depends very much on the person studying the field. As I can never begin to understand someone planning to take the life of another person I can only assume that it is most definitely the person and their own anger or issues, as you put it, needing to come to a release of some sort and in his case an extremely violent one.
I’m fairly familiar with the case, I believe studying a criminal justice course doesn’t impact our actions to become violent. I believe a person who already has intentions to commit a crime isn’t influenced by criminology studies. In the article, someone stated that criminology courses do not teach how to commit crimes but rather prevent them, and I agree completely. If that were the case then most people who studied criminology would be killers. In my opinion, a degree doesn’t define if you have good or bad intentions. For instance, the serial killer from Gilgo Beach was finally solved and the man behind the killings was a successful man. Rex Heuermann earned a bachelor’s degree in architectural technology at the New York Institute of Technology in Westbury, New York. Did his educational studies drive him to kill? no just like Bryan Kohberger, I believe Bryan Kohberger was already having murder thoughts.
Hello Andi, Your comment really did stand out to me because I agree also that believe Bryan Kohberger was already having murder thoughts but his studying criminology really did enhance his thoughts about murder.
Hi Andi,
I appreciate your perspective on the relationship between studying criminology and a person’s propensity for violence. It’s essential to recognize that studying criminology does not inherently make someone more likely to commit crimes. As you mentioned, criminology courses are typically designed to understand and prevent criminal behavior rather than encourage it.
You also bring up a valid point about educational qualifications not necessarily defining a person’s intentions or character. Having a degree does not determine whether someone has good or bad intentions, as numerous factors contribute to an individual’s actions and choices.
The cases you mentioned, such as the Gilgo Beach serial killer and Rex Heuermann, highlight that educational achievements or professions do not necessarily correlate with criminal behavior. People’s motives and actions are complex, and it’s often a combination of various factors that influence their decisions.
I’m was not familiar with this case prior to reading these articles however I do not believe that studying criminology has any correlation to going on to commit crimes or even murder. It could be possible that Bryan Kohberger fully intended to misuse his knowledge for criminal behavior, Kohberger was a teaching assistant and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Washington State University. The article includes a statement from James Alan Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, who says that studying criminology doesn’t turn you into a criminal or make you better at crime, and I agree with him. Furthermore, various experts expressed their perspectives in the article, employing terms such as “psychopath” to describe Kohberger or suggesting that his actions were unrelated to his academic degree but instead driven by his “intellectual appetite for it.” Surprisingly, the article does not delve into the possibility of mental illness as a contributing factor for Kohberger’s actions. In my view, the article should have placed more emphasis on honoring and mourning the lives tragically lost, rather than centering its narrative on Kohberger’s academic background.
Hi Jamal,
I entirely appreciate your viewpoint, and you bring up some important points regarding the article’s subject matter and handling of the situation. It’s critical to stress that how such cases are covered and discussed in the media has a significant impact on how the general public perceives and comprehends them. In the field of criminology, it is generally accepted that learning about the subject does not automatically result in criminal action. As James Alan Fox pointed out, there is no direct link between learning about criminology and turning into a criminal. Recognizing this truth is crucial to avoiding stigmatizing anyone who chooses this academic path.
You’ve brought up an important issue regarding the probable contribution of Bryan Kohberger’s mental instability to his conduct. In criminal cases, mental health can be a complicated factor, therefore it’s feasible that further investigation of this issue could yield insightful knowledge about the man’s actions. When attempting to comprehend such circumstances, it is crucial to take into account a variety of aspects, including psychological ones. While it is crucial to recognize Kohberger’s academic background, it shouldn’t diminish the seriousness of the crime or lead to any misunderstandings about criminology as a field of study.
Hey Jamal, I actually never thought about it like that, the articles were so focused on Kohberger and his academic standings instead of his actual state of mind and the victims.
Studying criminology is no more likely to lead to a crime than studying accounting is to lead to accounting fraud. Studying criminology is not going to make you a criminal, and it’s not going to make you a better criminal.
I am familiar with the University of Idaho case and I do believe that studying criminology can have a high chance of committing a crime because when you start reading more into the scientific study of crime and criminals, people start thinking out of curiosity that they can outsmart the system by studying the system which leaving they thinking they can not get caught.
I am familiar with the case of the University of Idaho and I don’t believe that studying criminology can cause someone to commit a crime. In the article, According to James Alan Fox Criminology is more of the art of how come rather than just how. I believe that Bryan Kohberg already had certain issues with him that made him do those terrible things.
Hi Everyone,
I did hear about the case of the Idaho students but I only heard about the roommate being a suspect and that he was on the run from the police but not his status as a criminology major. It is important to keep in mind that one person’s actions do not always represent the entire field of criminology or the goals of its practitioners. Any wrongful application of knowledge is the exception, not the rule. Additionally, it is crucial for academic institutions and experts in the field to support moral behavior and the prudent application of criminological knowledge. I do not believe that what you learn in class fully justifies someone’s behavior. There are other factors that need to be looked at to determine someone’s mindset. Any academic discipline, including criminology, must take ethical considerations into account. It is expected of criminology experts and students to apply their knowledge and abilities to advance justice and fairness, prevent and lessen crime, and enhance the criminal justice system. In the end, choosing to commit crimes is a personal choice that cannot just be attributed to academic research. To have a constructive impact on society, many graduates of criminology programs go into law enforcement, criminal justice, social work, or counseling.
Hello Alexis, I really agree with your response. I think that looking at one aspect of why someone committed a crime is overlooking other factors as to why this person committed such a violent crime. As you mentioned it is extremely important to look at someone’s mindset and not just the information they were studying. Overall your response was very rational and similar to mine in the fact that I mentioned that studying criminology has more benefits to society than downfalls.
This was actually my first time hearing about this case, and it is funny to me how all his professors simply weren’t impressed. He made multiple mistakes leading to his arrest. Leaving the weapon at the crime scene. Being caught on video circling the crime scene. And turning on his phone near the crime. A typical rookie mistake. I had no idea he was a PHD student in the criminology program. I’m like 50/50 on if criminology can lead to crime. I am 50/50 because the actual study doesn’t necessarily lead to crime, but it can open the doors to vast information. I believe people who commit horrendous crimes; such as, killings are just born that way. They have that in them, but all it takes is for something to bring it out, in Kohberger cases, he was already having those murderous thoughts, but with him being so involved with his studies, it could have put the batteries in his back to actually act on his intrusive thoughts.
I am aware of the student killings that took place in Idaho. However, I was not mindful of the fact that he studied criminology before these killings. I don’t believe that from this one instance, you can confidently say that studying criminology somehow increases the ability or urge of an individual to go out in the world and commit atrocities. I believe that the individual who killed the students was most likely mentally unstable leading up to the crime, and I don’t think reading and studying about crime can create an urge to carry out such actions in the real world. However, I guess it is possible that studying criminology provided an already mentally unstable person with the skills or ability he would need to carry out and escape such a horrific crime. But generally, I do not believe that studying criminology leads to real-life crime.
I was not familiar with the terrible crime committed by Bryan Kohberger. I had seen news about it across social media platforms as fellow peers of the victims were sharing condolences for the lives lost. As my fellow classmates have stated it is terrible that this is even a question being asked of us.The knowledge base that has been studied and curated over a hundred years about criminal and criminal behavior is bittersweet. No, I don’t believe studying criminology encourages a person to commit a crime its intention is the opposite. Studying the field of criminology is the foundation upon which police, FBI agents, and correctional officers learn how to protect and understand criminals in order to keep the public safe. This is why I say studying the field is bittersweet because then we have those individuals who see this information as a guideline or a map to commit crimes and pursue violence. To further explain what I mean by it depends upon the person, in the case of Jeffery Dahmer his father introduced him to taxidermy at a young age. Now for him, this field or hobby influenced his already criminal mind into enjoying the sensations of death. For a person with no criminal intent taxidermy is a harmless hobby. The parallel I’m trying to make is that studying something such as taxidermy or criminology doesn’t always mean that the person will then become violent, it is very much dependent on the mind and intentions of the person obtaining the knowledge.The article “When a Criminology Student Turns Criminal” stated “Studying criminology is not going to make you a criminal, and it’s not going to make you a better criminal,” said James Alan Fox, a longtime professor of criminology at Northeastern University and the former dean of its College of Criminal Justice. “What we teach is ‘how come?’ Not ‘how.’” Overall, I do not think studying criminology makes someone a criminal or influences criminal behavior. It is an important field of study that aims to help us understand crime to therefore prevent it.
I actually am familiar with this case. I remember hearing it first from my mother when she told me to be careful who I’m associating with in class because she had heard of this case on the news. I did not know details of the case including the fact that he was a Ph.D. student in the criminology program. Going into the question “Can studying criminology lead to crime?”, I believe anyone who studies a subject can get into both sides’ morals or not. The article “When a Criminology Student Turns Criminal” by Liam Knox, states “Studying criminology is no more likely to lead to crime than studying accounting is to lead to accounting fraud,”. It depends on the person’s mental state. You don’t see chemists attending school to learn how to create drugs in their backyard. That doesn’t mean one student might see this as an opportunity to join the drug trade and use what he learned to create illegal substances. Studying criminology can lead to stopping crime by seeing the repeating flaws of criminals, it will lead law agencies to catch them at the earlier stages. Also, individuals can go against that and fix where the criminals went wrong and do the crime better, more carefully. The question is just that, a controversial question. No right or wrong.
When it comes to criminology, I think that simply studying the subject and looking deeper into it will not cause a person to act differently and have a higher chance of committing crimes. When it comes to the case, I did not know about it until now but it definitely scares me. Knowing that the person who committed the murders studied criminal justice raised fear in people and left people with questions about the major. People wondered if studying the major lead to the killer to do what he did. But in my opinion, it seems like Bryan was motivated due to rage or maybe even jealousy. And even though he did study the major, I don’t think it has anything to do with the crime. I believe that people are born or raised in their own special ways and certain lifestyles or habits can lead to a person becoming more violent or commit more crimes such as how they were raised or who they hang out with.I think this is what the main cause of people becoming criminals is. If you were to teach most people about criminal justice, I don’t think the first thing they will be thinking about is murder.
Hi Hubert, I agree with you on the way someone was raised can play apart on the type of person they become. Getting deep into how Bryan Kohberger was raised can mean we are able to get an understanding or his past and his way of living.
I am not familiar with this case at all, but, studying criminology, the scientific study of crime, its causes, and societal reactions, is essentially motivated by the desire to comprehend and discourage illegal behavior rather than to encourage it. However, the connection between this field of study and the risk of committing a crime might be complicated and calls for further thought. To begin, criminology provides a thorough understanding of the motivations underlying criminal acts, the psychology of criminals, and the flaws in law enforcement and security institutions. While the vast majority of criminology students and professionals use this knowledge for constructive purposes such as reforming the criminal justice system, improving security, or providing rehabilitation, it is possible that someone could misuse this specialized knowledge. A person well-versed in criminology may have information useful for criminal efforts, just as a cybersecurity specialist may utilize their talents to either safeguard or hack systems. However, it is important to highlight that simply studying criminology does not result in criminal intentions. The majority of those interested in this subject have a genuine interest in understanding the sociological underpinnings of crime and working to make society a safer place. While criminology knowledge could hypothetically be misused, studying the topic is not a straight path to criminal action. Individual ethics, morals, and intent, on the other hand, play a far more important influence in shaping one’s behavior.
But fundamentally, I think that what shapes a person’s course of action is not the study itself but rather the intention behind their actions. The passion I share with the majority of my peers and myself for comprehending the complexity of crime and advancing a more just society drives us. Although the skills and information learned in criminology could theoretically be misapplied, it’s important to keep in mind that the study of the field does not necessarily foster criminal intent. The person’s own morals and intentions are what actually dictate their behavior.
I am not familiar with this tragic case. After reading these articles I feel as if studying criminology does not lead to crime. I believe Bryan Kohberger already had interest in committing a crime. Studying Crimonolgy teaches the deeper meaning to why crimes happen and how to prevent it As well being introduced to real crimes that have been taken. Bryan Kohberger decided to study this field as well as being in a PH.D program. By him being able to get into a PH.D program shows that he was good in this field meaning he noticed he has the traits of a murderer. Crimonology does not encourage for crimes to happens which is why it should not be at fault for him killing.Instead I think there should be a deeper search into they type of person he was and how he raised.
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